Solar Decathlon Opening Ceremony and VIP Ribbon Cutting

Program Features Government Officials, Students and Foreign Dignitaries

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A ceremony on Thursday featuring U.S. government officials, students, foreign dignitaries and event sponsors will officially open the solar village of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 at the National Mall's West Potomac Park.

WHAT:Kick-off of global competition that shows consumers how to save money and energy with affordable clean energy products that are available today. The highly efficient houses built by collegiate teams from five countries on four continents will now compete in 10 contests during 10 days that gauge each house's performance, livability and affordability.

Solar Decathlon 2011 teams competing on the National Mall's West Potomac Park

Appalachian State University

Canada (University of Calgary)

Florida International University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Maryland

Middlebury College

New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington)

The Ohio State University

Parsons NS Stevens (Parsons The New School for Design and Stevens Institute of Technology, a team that also includes Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy at The New School)

Purdue University

The Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology

Team Belgium (Ghent University)

Team China (Tongji University)

Team Florida (The University of South Florida, Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Florida)

Team Massachusetts (Massachusetts College of Art and Design and University of Massachusetts at Lowell)

Team New Jersey (Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey and New Jersey Institute of Technology)

Team New York (The City College of New York)

The University of Tennessee

Tidewater Virginia (Old Dominion University and Hampton University)

Team houses will open to the public free of charge September 23 – October 2, and theoverall winner will be announced on October 1. For full event information, free shuttle details, current standings, high-resolution photos, videos, an event schedule and daily results, visit www.SolarDecathlon.gov. You may also follow the competition in real time on Facebook at Facebook.com/DOESolarDecathlon and Twitter at @Solar_Decathlon.

More about the Solar DecathlonThe U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 is an award-winning program that challenges collegiate students from around the world to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, highly energy efficient, attractive, and easy to live in. The competition shows consumers how to save money and energy with affordable clean energy products that are available today. The nearly two-year projects culminate in an unprecedented display of affordable green living and design on the National Mall's West Potomac Park from September 23 – October 2, 2011. The Solar Decathlon also provides participating students with hands-on experience and unique training that prepares them to enter our nation's clean energy workforce, supporting the Obama Administration's goal of transitioning to a clean energy economy while saving families and businesses money.